First look at Scion's 2011 models

For the 2011 model year, the Toyota spin-off brand debuted an all-new mini-car called the iQ, a fully redesigned version of its best-seller the tC coupe and a slightly refreshed version of the boxy xB. Its fourth model, the xD remained untouched.

For the 2011 model year, the Toyota spin-off brand debuted an all-new mini-car called the iQ, a fully redesigned version of its best-seller the tC coupe and a slightly refreshed version of the boxy xB. Its fourth model, the xD remained untouched.

The Scion iQ is about as wide as the Mini Cooper, but taller — roughly as tall as a Smart ForTwo. From bumper to bumper, it's between the two at 120.1 inches. The ForTwo is 106.1 inches and the Cooper 145.6. In person, if you look at it from certain angles, the iQ looks sizable. Must be the height and width. I'd say the iQ is surprisingly roomy inside, but automakers have gotten so good at this that it's not surprising anymore. I should specify the front seats are quite roomy. Scion calls the seating arrangement "3+1," meaning three adults and a kid, because there's less room behind the driver. The two rear seats have the headroom, but the legroom depends on which side — and the generosity of the people in front. In terms of the interior design, Scion took some risks with the shapes but didn't go too far. I think the iQ beats the Cooper, which goes a bit overboard with its enormous-yet-legibility-challenged speedometer and other examples of whimsy overload. With the usual caveat that auto-show interiors can look better or worse than the eventual product will, I'll say I'm impressed with the materials in this car. As for cargo space with the backseat raised, "zero" might be too strong a word, but it's pretty close. The rear head restraints are practically in contact with the liftgate, which explains why the iQ will debut the first rear-window curtain airbag. (I think most car shoppers would find less attractive any car that uses passengers as a crumple zone.) Fortunately, the seats fold flat, which gives you usable cargo volume — seemingly more than the Smart ForTwo, but there are no dimension specs yet. Also note that the ForTwo, as its name suggests, makes no effort to seat four. Scion seems to have the better approach.

The Scion iQ is about as wide as the Mini Cooper, but taller — roughly as tall as a Smart ForTwo. From bumper to bumper, it's between the two at 120.1 inches. The ForTwo is 106.1 inches and the Cooper 145.6. In person, if you look at it from certain angles, the iQ looks sizable. Must be the height and width. I'd say the iQ is surprisingly roomy inside, but automakers have gotten so good at this that it's not surprising anymore. I should specify the front seats are quite roomy. Scion calls the seating arrangement "3+1," meaning three adults and a kid, because there's less room behind the driver. The two rear seats have the headroom, but the legroom depends on which side — and the generosity of the people in front. In terms of the interior design, Scion took some risks with the shapes but didn't go too far. I think the iQ beats the Cooper, which goes a bit overboard with its enormous-yet-legibility-challenged speedometer and other examples of whimsy overload. With the usual caveat that auto-show interiors can look better or worse than the eventual product will, I'll say I'm impressed with the materials in this car. As for cargo space with the backseat raised, "zero" might be too strong a word, but it's pretty close. The rear head restraints are practically in contact with the liftgate, which explains why the iQ will debut the first rear-window curtain airbag. (I think most car shoppers would find less attractive any car that uses passengers as a crumple zone.) Fortunately, the seats fold flat, which gives you usable cargo volume — seemingly more than the Smart ForTwo, but there are no dimension specs yet. Also note that the ForTwo, as its name suggests, makes no effort to seat four. Scion seems to have the better approach.

Few car brands that can turnover their lineup with new models at just one auto show. But Joe Wiesenfelder of cars.com reports that Scion did just that did at the New York International Auto Show this month. April 19, 2010